Stewart Shuts Out Spartans; Trojans Win Their 11th Straight

Sunday, March 5

Troy, Ala.

1 p.m.

Troy University

11-0

USC-Upstate

7-5

USC-Upstate

Troy

Stewart Shuts Out Spartans; Trojans Win Their 11th Straight

3/5/2023 4:29:00 PM | Baseball

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By: Troy Athletics Communications

TROY, Ala. – Behind a dominant pitching performance from Grayson Stewart and nine runs in the first two innings, the Trojans have matched their second-best start to a season in program history with 11 straight wins after beating USC-Upstate 10-0 in seven innings due to run rules Sunday afternoon from Riddle-Pace Field.

This 2023 squad matches the 11 straight wins the 1990 team opened their season with. In addition, Troy (11-0) continues to see their longest win streak since 2006.

"This weekend, we were focused for 27 innings of baseball," head coach Skylar Meade said. "Stewart executed his pitches and did what he has done all season. Defensively we were clean for the most part. I was proud of how we came out offensively. Our guys came in prepared and got good swings. Every guy stuck to their approach and was rewarded. I'm proud of the execution not just today but throughout the weekend."

It was a career outing for Grayson Stewart (3-0) as he went a career-high seven innings of shutout baseball. Holding the Spartans to six hits, striking out four, and only walking one, lowering his ERA to 1.06. Previously Stewart had only gone five innings twice in his career.

Every Troy starter recorded a hit in the ball game for the first time since March 9, 2022, at Jacksonville. Shane Lewis once again had a massive day at the plate, hitting his team-leading eighth home run, already matching last season's team leader. Lewis finished with two hits and four RBIs, giving him three home runs and 13 RBIs for the series.

Coming into the game Henry Proger (2-1) was unbeaten and had an ERA of 0.69. After Sunday's game with the Trojans, Proger's earned run average is now up to 4.80 after surrendering nine runs on 10 hits with only two strikeouts. The Spartans (7-5) left seven runners on base with Noah Sullivan, who also pitched, finishing with two hits.

The Trojan offense showed no signs of slowing down as they got off to a three-run lead in the bottom of the first. Two singles to lead off the game applied the early pressure and caused Caleb Bartolero to reach on an error and load the bases. William Sullivan used a sacrifice fly to bring home the first run as Tremayne Cobb Jr. and Lewis each singled to bring home the next two.

Troy didn't wait long to break the game open as they used six hits in the bottom of the second to score six runs. Back o back doubles from Bartolero and Sullivan brought in three more, with Lewis hitting a three-run shot to make it 9-0.

The 10^th and final run for the Trojans came in the bottom of the sixth, with Kyle Mock hitting a slow roller to the right side of the field, allowing the speed of Ethan Kavanagh to score from third. Kavanagh scored a team-high three runs on the day.

The Trojans will have a pair of midweek games against Florida Gulf Coast up next. The first game is scheduled for Tuesday, March 7, at 6 p.m., followed by a game on Wednesday, March 8, also beginning at 6 p.m.